Chain conveyors are commonly known. They usually consist of a girder system incorporating a track, in which a conveyor chain, intended to carry goods to be transported, is driven in forward direction. The conveyor chain is endless and usually consists of a number of links interconnected by cardanic joints. The driving of the chain is effected by means of electric motors, which act upon the chain via different types of transmissions.
The conveyor chains in recent chain conveyors can extend vertically, horizontally and at oblique angles and they can be curved in different directions. Two or more tracks are often arranged to cooperate and to seize the objects to be transported to lift them up to a higher level or to lower them to a lower level. The tracks at their upper side also may be equipped with free-running rollers, whereby goods, which for any reason is retarded, may roll freely in relation to the tracks. Examples of conveyor chains of known type are described in Swedish patent specifications 7906174-3 and 8105758-0.
A frequently occurring problem at chain conveyors of the type described above is that they at various times must convey objects of different types. A conveyor chain with a certain carrying surface then may be improper for conveying goods of other kind than the goods earlier transported. In such a case it may be necessary completely to exchange the conveyor chain, which is of course an extensive operation which rather should be avoided. It therefore since long has been a desideratum to provide a conveyor chain, which can easily be converted thus that it in a satisfactory manner can transport different types of object at various times.